How do you know...

How do you know that it's God's voice in your ear compared to the evil's that be?

What does being "hit" by the Holy Spirit feel like?

What is your "own" personal description of the Holy Spirit?

 

By listening real close to what is being told to you, and by testing the spirit that is talking to you. It is sort of like a scientific experiment in testing. There is a definite process and definite instructions, but there are also definite tools that need to be used. After playing in the lab of the Holy Spirit for a while, all of those things become second nature to a Christian and then the Christian is not so frequently required to engage in further testing.

Don't know. I have never been "hit by" the Holy Spirit.

Joy, splendor, elation, knowing, comfort, confidence, courage.... and the list goes on and on and on. But those things can be found outside the Holy Spirit, but not to the magnitude that the Holy Spirit will provide.

 

'Hearing' God's Spirit will not be contrary to the Word of God.

Guess by 'hit' you mean the 'infilling of the Holy Spirit"....He does not nor will not override a man's will, nor will He create 'confusion,' often falsified by some 'sincere' believers who are actually in the flesh and operating in the futility of their own minds.

I have had 3 separate experiences in my life where I felt 'the presence of God thru His Spirit,' one was a near death. And so knowing the word of God, and communicating with Him thru prayer, has given me an assurance of discerning between 'my will' and 'His will' for ME in my life.

I believe that it is a 'personal' knowledge and a function of being 'intimate' with Him thru His word & prayer (not just supplication, but praise & worship)

 

What does the 'good wholesome Christian Girl' by your side say it feels like?

 

You are going to have to elaborate... I have no clue what this test is or how it's done...

Nor have I read anything like it in the Bible...

Being hit by the Holy Spirit? It's what I imagine happened to the Apostles...

Is this how you expect Heaven to be like?

 

Where does giving money to the church come into play...

 

I am recently divorced and now dating a, what I know now, a Christian that is NOT a Christian, but someone who just "says" they are. If she was a true Christian, I am learning that her behavior would be significantly different.

But, thanks for asking. I didn't know you were concerned about my personal affairs, and I thank you Freeware - who would have known...

 

The NT talks about 'giving,' NOT the OT Tithing (only place mentioned in the NT, of the many letters written to 'non-Jewish believers,' was in Hebrews showing the position of Melchezidek, believed to be the Lord's presence at that time, or a 'type' of). It is OT Law and NOT NT grace!

And so God doesnt just get a '10th' of what we own, but owns it ALL! And we give by obedience under the leading of the Holy Spirit to the needs around us....

 

So it is the Holy Spirit who "suggests" how much I am supposed to give to God?

 

I dont like to use 'human verbiage' but 'feel the leading' as such to give to particular needs as they arise B4 me, or as I come across them. For the widows, aliens (those w/o home), & orphans, we are told to take care of; I also personally give to about 8 charities, some Christian, some not, and several related to the military. But I have also given cash to someone on the street at certain times--and I'm not an 'easy mark,' having been a trucker for 10 yrs and approached daily by scam artists at truck stops.

 

Interesting... So you don't give to a Church? I do remember that in the Bible - to give to take care of God's Children...

 

I have given to 'churches' that I feel are providing a valid ministry to the down & out (as opposed to 'bums'), foreign missions as well as domestic missions; but I quit giving to orgs that use the $$$ to build big, extravagant bldgs while there are still needs surrounding the community. "God doesnt live in a bldg made by human hainds" as the scripture says in the NT...

 

I have noticed you are more into the NT than the OT... Why is this?

 

Also, how do you find out who is giving and who is not? I have ALWAYS wondered that. Working for the Gov't we have what's called CFC and it is the only time during the year that we can give an organization money. Well, come to find out that no organization GIVES money to their cause. March of Dimes and Unicef and all the other big ones are at out of every dollar you donate about 1-2 cents goes to the cause.... it's ridiculous...

So, how do you know who is giving to what?

 

You have to do a little homework---most churches will post or provide the breakdown of heir external giving or ministries.

But as we Chrisitans are called to be wise stewards of "God's money" that we are charge over while here on earth & He has entrusted us with, the spiritual & financial rewards of giving with pure hearts (good intentions) will still not be in vain if we shud error in our givings---i.e., if we get scammed, our good motives & intentions will still be honored---God doesnt 'need' our money, it is as the talents in scripture that are given us to invest, so that both we and those around us get the blesing.

 

1 John 4: 1 - 3 as a starting point

Imagination can create all sorts of mental images. Being 'filled' with the Holy Spirit does not necessarily require the physical senses as an indicator of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes it can be as easy and gentle as your next breath. Paul on the other hand, was so caught up in his life of running around and making arrangements for the death of many Christians, required a little more convincing than most other people.

Heaven will PROBABLY be about a trillion times better than any worldly thing by which I can use to make a comparison.

 

How do you know that it is not just your imagination ?

 

You're welcome. Though while it may belong to your personal affairs, you chose not to make it private.

 

EXACTLY!!!! And if you believe in Satan, then you know that he is far more powerful than you and he has dominion over you. So, when he whispers, how is that different than God's whispers?

If you believe in Satan, then you believe in the Deciever and how can you, a mere human, decipher between the two since you are only from this world and have no understanding of that "outside" of your own existence...

Just a question is all...

 

No, but for you to remember what transpired, 8-10 months ago, over the internet, dealing with my person (which wasn't even directed to you and you had to look up OUTSIDE of any conversation we had together) means something to me.

How did you remember that? Why do I hold such a spot within your memory? That is special... I can't remember what I've said you to you last month... For you to remember something I posted in a private conversation with another member on my board that you read 9 months ago says something...

I thank you and appreciate you remembering me. I am sorry if I do not hold the same for you and will try from know on remembering things, but for now. I THANK YOU!!!

Freeware you mess up then redeem yourself with things like this. I never knew I was that important to you...

I thank you!

Hold on... Folks... are there others that remember things that transpired months previoulsy over this site? Maybe Freeware isn't so uncommon... Maybe that is what people do... I can't see it, nor understand it. It's the internet, but it was heartwarming that people remember... So, if you could let a person know it would be fabulous because maybe Freeware doesn't deserve this credit for something YOU ALL do....

 

Well, I haven't been to that many churches to be honest. I will check some out this weekend, and thus cannot talk about something I do not know first hand.

God doesn't "need" our money is interesting, because that has crossed my mine also. Jesus doesn't need fall school clothes... God is not from this world, so why is there currency involved in worshiping him?

Never understood that one.. But I do follow along with your on dealing and helping others of this world who are his children...

 

Define imagination. In other words: In what context are you using the word 'imagination'?

 

The main thing is to give with the right heart attitude:

2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV)

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

 

I want to ask you an honest question (like my questions are not honest), when and why do you chose between the OT and the NT? There are some things that are only within the OT that are irrelavent, and some things in the NT that trump OT Gossil...

How do you decipher which is right?

 

I will speak for him since he is going off of my initial post.

I... We think that there are voices in our heads all the time. Some are so strong they take on their own personalities and you become Sibil, and now you have "movie rights". So, it doesn't matter how strong the voice is, it's hwo it's precieved and we are all "different" individuals with free will.

How can you explain how "all" Christians know the difference between Sibil, Satan, and Saviour?!?!?!

How...